The New York State Ulster County Office of the Comptroller, a recently created independently elected county-wide office, launched a new website and brand program developed by Raleigh Green Inc. The new brand program was designed to help the Office of the Comptroller better inform citizens of county finances, and the Office’s mission to: provide tax-payers greater transparency in county government expenditures; improve comprehension of the County’s operations; and promote fiscal accountability.

RGI developed a communications strategy summarized through a new tagline, “Your Eyes On Ulster”. The tagline is a memorable, brand-focused approach that best expresses the Comptroller’s services as the “citizens’ window” into county’s expenditures and operations, and positions the Office as the voters’ fiscal watchdog.

Upon development of a strategic positioning and tagline, RGI developed a new website for the Office of the Comptroller that incorporates the new brand message. The site is designed to provide easy access to key financials, reports, documents, and county vendor resources, as well as offer information and programs to businesses and non-profits on best financial oversight practices. The new site provides the ability for citizens to contact the Office regarding waste and fraud concerns, and includes features that: permit sharing of website content with others; a sign-up feature for the Office’s newsletter ‘Measure2Manage’; and interconnectivity with multiple social media formats maintained by the Comptroller’s Office. The entire site was built by RGI with a content management system to permit the Office’s staff to easily update content.

RGI also developed brand-supporting print collateral for use by the Comptroller’s Office, including a brochure and new administrative materials. The new brand program has assisted to align the Office of the Comptroller with its mission as an independent monitor of taxpayer money, and promoter of accountable and transparent government spending.

A new radio campaign was launched by Sickler, Torchia, Allen & Churchill CPAs, one of the largest accounting firms in the Hudson Valley. The campaign, developed by Raleigh Green Inc., is part of a larger rebranding program for the firm. The media effort is to reach new audiences seeking to upgrade their accounting services and have a large enough firm to serve a wide range of accounting-related services including financial planning, bookkeeping, auditing, payroll, tax preparation and more. The radio campaign kicks off on Radio Woodstock during the month of January.

Raleigh Green Inc. launches a new advertising campaign for Naccarato Insurance, a Saugerties, NY based agency that operates in the Hudson Valley and provides a broad range of insurance services including home, auto, business, health and life. The campaign includes radio, print and sponsorships. The first radio ads to begin November 27th. RGI provided concept, creative and media planning services for the campaign.

http://www.kingstonlandtrust.orgConnecting People and Places, Naturally

Raleigh Green Inc. is very pleased to see the brand strategy and tagline developed by our firm for the Kingston Land Trust starting to take off – the Kingston GREENLINE -

“Connecting People and Places, Naturally”.

RGI conceived of a brand strategy that bundles the city’s plans for rail trails development with its complete streets beautification and walkability programs to create a vision unique unto the city – and to realize the potential of acting as a hub for the region’s interconnected trails and park systems.

Naccarato Insurance, a New York-based insurance agency with multiple offices serving customers in three states, recently launched a new website to better serve its customers. The site was designed and developed by Raleigh Green Inc, a Hudson Valley-based marketing agency that specializes in branding. The website redesign was part of a larger program by RGI for Naccarato that included developing a new brand positioning and tagline, designing new coordinated marketing collateral and administrative materials, developing advertising campaigns, and more. The goal was to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary and build its market presence in the overall Hudson Valley New York market.

The new website includes many helpful resources such as a glossary of insurance terms to help customers through industry jargon, a description of dozens of available insurance products, contact information and web links for carriers, and listing and description of many discounts available to customers. The new site is formatted to ensure key content is placed ‘above the fold’ (less ‘scrolling’ down the page), has thoughtful navigation and menus, uses animation to reinforce product categories served, and a blog named “Insurance Matters” so that Naccarato Insurance can provide timely information to its customers. New social media features were developed so the agency can offer an additional means to communicate with its customers. Easy-to-use web forms were created to quickly offer Free Quotes on a variety of insurance types. All web copy was revised and created to ensure a consistent ‘brand voice’ that is friendly and customer centered. The new website is search engine optimized and includes streamlined (simplified) WordPress content management tools to assist staff in easily administering the site.

To compliment the new website, RGI also developed a mobile version. QR code stickers were created as a convenience for Naccarato auto-insurance customers to place in car door jams in case of emergencies and use the easy-to-use mobile site.

A new radio campaign, created by Raleigh Green Inc., was started today for Adirondack Creamery, manufacturer of all natural ice cream. The campaign will run on Cumulus Radio station Mix 97 this spring and later this year, covering most of the Hudson Valley New York region. Adirondack Creamery is made in Kingston, NY, and uses Hudson Valley Fresh dairy. It is only 36 hours from cow to ice cream, with no hormones, antibiotics, fructose, gums or other artificial ingredients. It’s Udderly Delicious(TM).

When advertising a brand, especially brands with lower awareness levels, it is usually best to have a clear message. In the case of Brykill Farms, in Gardiner, NY, previous marketing communications for its beef product were lost in an overall message about the setting of a beautiful, historic farm. While interesting, consumers first and foremost want to know ‘what are you selling’? and ‘how is it different’? and ‘why should I buy it?” In addition, the farm was also producing different, unconnected marketing materials that further diminished it’s advertising message.

Brykill Farms hired Raleigh Green Inc. to review their marketing, create a central message that would assist in selling its beef, and design a brochure for distribution and advertising. RGI noticed that the marketing needed more “beef” focus, and less history and landscape. This is because people purchase food based on how it tastes, and increasingly on how it is produced.

RGI recommended a modified logo that removes the word ‘FARM’ and the founding date of the farm (1724), to create “Brykill Beef” using the same logo symbol. A tagline was created that speaks to the taste and ‘local message’ – ‘Savor Upstate Flavor‘. The message of ‘happy cows’ raised in free-ranging herds, and the natural methods used in cattle management (e.g. no GMOs or antibiotics) were also elevated in the communications. The design of the new brochure uses more ‘savory-related’ colors (red and mustard), and graphics were kept to a minimum in order to keep the focus on the product. Straight-forward, inviting copy that includes a description of available beef products was created, all focused on target markets such as local restaurants, natural food grocers, and direct purchases. Brykill Beef. Savor Upstate Flavor.

DRA Advisors LLC, headquartered in New York City, is a real estate investment organization with over $10 billion in investments throughout the US. A new ad campaign was launched to reach property owners, joint venture partners, and real estate professionals. The campaign was created by Raleigh Green Inc., and focuses on showcasing DRA Advisors’ strengths: a diversified portfolio in retail, multi-family, office and industrial properties; its conservative, value-added focus in investing; and a successful track-record over 25 years.

RGI, specialists in brand identity marketing, wanted to use a play on the ‘D’ shape used in previous marketing, to create continuity. In addition, the idea of different ‘shapes’ representing diverse investment opportunities was explored as a metaphor, with a result being an ‘egg’ form, created by four quadrants. An excellent metaphor for investing, the ‘egg’ in the campaign communicates opportunity, with each quadrant showing a different property type. The copy, Opportunity comes in many forms. Finding value comes in one. DRA Advisors LLC further reinforces the overall brand message of the campaign.

The campaign is being run throughout the year in various real estate investment publications, such as the National Real Estate Investor, and is supported with a revised website, also created by RGI. In addition, a version of the print campaign was developed for advertising at the global retail real estate convention in Las Vegas, NV, known as ICSC. With the ad’s QR code, busy real estate professionals at the conference will be able to quickly and easily access portfolio information, investment fund opportunities, and much more.

The ArtBridge Kingston project was originally conceived by Raleigh Green as an opportunity to bring renewed, public attention to an economically depressed neighborhood, Midtown Kingston. The location of Midtown, the intersection of many other parts of the city, represents an opportunity for building additional momentum in the city’s overall revitalization. At the center of Midtown are two side-by-side iron-trellis type bridges, one for cars and one for trains. Because of the bridges shabby appearance, the area has been a local eyesore, detracting from the potential and promise for renewal. It is here that a New York-based non-profit, ArtBridge comes into the picture.

ArtBridge, known to Raleigh Green while living in New York, transforms and ‘rebrands’ underused public spaces (such as street scaffolding and construction walls) into positive destinations by displaying emerging artists’ work in large format. The non-profit, founded by designer and artist Rodney Durso, helps to reframe perceptions of a location, similar to what a new logo or new packaging can accomplish in branding. These public art displays cover or camouflage unattractive locations, provide visibility to local artists, invite positive attention to development efforts, and foster community consciousness. ArtBridge’s mission was perfect for Kingston. Raleigh Green convinced ArtBridge to take it on. It is ArtBridge’s first foray outside of New York City, and is representative of a New York – Kingston connection that has existed since the founding of both cities.

The ArtBridge Kingston initiative required many participants to come together including municipal, business, arts, community and other groups. Spearheading the initiative, Raleigh Green sought funding and sponsorships, city approvals, and public awareness. Outreach to local arts groups such as the Arts Society of Kingston and O Positive was done to encourage creative submissions for the installation and build support for the project. The experienced hands of the Art Bridge team in New York City provided support, guidance and more. It truly ‘took a village’ to accomplish.

Over 100 art submissions were received, and two selected for display by a locally comprised panel of art professionals. The original artwork was photographed and printed onto a special mesh material in large format. Some complex hardware and installation preparations were required so that the banners could cover the sides of both bridges.

As planned, ArtBridge Kingston was installed just in time for city’s Shamrock Run and St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As many as 5,000 runners, and thousands of marchers and spectators went underneath the bridge along the parade route, enjoying their first exposure to the art display.

An art opening and reception held in Midtown Kingston is scheduled for March 15, providing the community the opportunity to come together and celebrate public art and the initiative.

The ArtBridge Kingston installation will remain for six months, from mid-March through Labor Day in 2013. When the banners are removed, tote bags will be created from the material, each one being a unique piece of art and history. The tote bags will be auctioned-off to support future projects of ArtBridge.

It is hoped that the revitalization of Midtown will assist the entire City of Kingston to become more integrated and enter a new, even more prosperous phase in its long and rich history.

In business for over 100 years, Saugerties, New York-based Montano’s Shoe Store is still innovating and excelling in customer service. Raleigh Green Inc, Montano’s brand creative agency, proposed and developed a new mobile ad campaign to capture customers wherever they may be in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Starting with RGI’s development of a mobile version of their website, the objective was to encourage mobile site visitors to explore the product lines of men’s, women’s, children’s, and sports shoes, as well as a complete line of orthotics. Formatted for easier viewing and navigating, the new mobile website can be accessed with any ‘smartphone’ and tablet. A ‘Wishlist’ feature permits mobile users to prepare a list of products that interest them, so when they visit the store, they are ready – convenience and service for on-the-go shoppers.

To build upon the mobile site and foster awareness of the new feature, RGI created a print-ad campaign promoting a ‘Montano’s On The Go’ message. The ads incorporate QR codes for quick accessibility, and web analytics to track traffic. The mobile site is integrated with the standard website’s databases, permitting easy, one stop updating of products and information. The campaign plays on the Montano’s brand strengths – care and service at any stage in one’s life, community, and specialized service of custom shoe fittings and orthotics. Each ad takes care to include strong branding with typography, copy, color and imagery. Montano’s plans to run the ads over the coming months in various local publications.